Autism

Virtual Reality Autism Demystification Programs
Changing the Game for children with autism and their peers.
18 months ago, I traveled to Seattle WA to visit Valve. Valve is a company that develops gaming software. I was fortunate enough to be invited to try out the Vive, at...

Friend 2 Friend Social Learning Society has offered our unique Integrated Play Groups programs to children, families and schools since 2006. We are often asked about our “Social Skills programs”. But Integrated Play Groups are Not Social Skills Programs, there are important distinctions between the two....

Pencil Tapping, An Inclusive Activity Thinking Beyond the ABC's Behaviour
I recently provided a full day seminar to a small group of school based professionals. During questions and answers, one of the educators asked me how I would suggest they handle the following situation:
“A boy with...

Recess Jungle : How it Impacts the Lives of Children with Autism
Sarah runs up to a child on the playground at recess time. She pushes the child and runs away looking back at the child while giggling. The child immediately tells the supervising education assistant...

Regardless of whether you are crying or laughing, if you cannot control your emotional state, then you are dysregulated. From time to time most of us need a little help staying well regulated. Sometimes we need a walk, a hug, to yell, scream, cry, or...

While delivering our Simulation Game program one day, two adults sat together chatting while frequently reminding the students to “be quiet”. After the program, one of the ladies came up to me saying, “Heather, can I ask you one question?” Following the program questions are typically about...

While delivering our Autism Demystification programs at a local school, a wonderful grade four student on the autism spectrum said, "Don't want friends".
During recess, I watched as this same child walked around the playground beside the EA (education assistant). While his same aged peers were...

Facing the Crowd Six Strategies to Help the Bullied Parents
Bullying, regardless of its form, usually stems from a lack of understanding, acceptance and empathy. As parents of children with autism, we worry about our children being bullied. We protect them from it in every way...

Raising Children with Autism: The importance of Affinity Based Peer Play Activities
Does your child like trains, animated videos, Angry Birds, Dora, Star Wars, Frozen, toilets flushing, plane propellers? While some of these affinities may be considered to be conventional, others may not. Regardless of your...

Necessity, are Mothers of a Children On the Autism Spectrum
I will never forget the moment my child was diagnosed, I started to cry, but not because I was upset that the doctor had agreed with my suspicions. I cried out of relief that someone finally...

Raising Children with Autism: Demystifying Classmates, Neighbours, Family and Friends
The autism community has changed in a great number of ways over the past 23 years (the age of my son). For example, when Friend 2 Friend Social Learning Society started delivering our first Autism Demystification program...